The Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan includes $305 million for a distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund, which includes $45 million to address immediate needs for products and services in Inuit communities. Last week, members of the ITK Board of Directors unanimously agreed to direct this funding directly to regional organizations from the Government of Canada as follows:
• $5,850,000 to Inuvialuit Regional Corporation
• $22,545,000 to Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
• $11,250,000 to Makivik Corporation
• $5,355,000 to Nunatsiavut Government
Each regional organization is developing its own schedule of investments, which includes funding for community harvests, support for elders, measures to provide daily water and sewer deliveries, funding for food banks and community distribution of cleaning supplies, among other areas.
The funds provided to each land claim region will be used to support their respective beneficiaries throughout Canada, including outside their land claims regions. An additional $15 million has been allocated by the federal government to support Inuit living away from their communities. This money can be accessed through proposals directly to the Government of Canada.
The funding allocated to Inuit regional organizations is in addition to $500 million allocated to provinces and territories for critical health care system needs preparedness and mitigation efforts; and access by provinces and territories to the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile for medical equipment and supplies, pharmaceuticals and social service supplies, such as beds and blankets.